Scincella qianbeiensis Xiao, Gou, Liu, Li, Li, Wang, Ke & Chen, 2026, sp. nov.

Scincella qianbeiensis sp. nov. Holotype. MT SY 20250420002, adult male, collected by Xi Xiao on April 20, 2025, from Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserve, Guizhou Province, China (28°13'8"N, 107°9'49"E, 1510 m a. s. l.). Paratypes (n = 3). MT SY 20250420001 and MT SY 20250420004, both adult males, collected by Xi Xiao on April 20, 2025, from the same locality as the holotype. MT DZ 20250415001, adult male, collected by Sikan Chen on April 15, 2025 from Dashahe National Nature Reserve, Guizhou Province, China (29°9'4.16"N, 107°35'46.4"E, 1328 m a. s. l.). Measurements and counts of the paratypes are given in Table 2. Etymology. The specific epithet “ qianbeiensis ” is derived from “Qianbei” (黔北), meaning northern Guizhou, referring to the region of the type locality in Guizhou Province, China. The English common name “ Qianbei Ground Skink ” and the Chinese name “ 黔北滑蜥. ” Diagnosis. Scincella qianbeiensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: (1) medium body size in adults (SVL 42.81–46.02 mm); (2) tail relatively long (TAL / SVL 1.13–1.81); (3) seven infralabials; (4) 6–7 supraciliaries; (5) tympanum deeply sunken, without lobules; (6) single primary temporal; (7) three to four pairs of nuchals; (8) 28 midbody scale rows; (9) 52–60 paravertebral scale rows; (10) 62–69 ventral scale rows; (11) dark dorsolateral stripes wavy, with 1 / 2 + 4 + 1 / 2 rows of dorsal scales in the middle; (12) 12–14 enlarged lamellae beneath finger IV and 16–18 beneath toe IV; (13) toes in contact with fingers when limbs are adpressed. Description of holotype. An adult male specimen with an original tail (Figs 3, 4, 5, 6). Size medium, SVL 46.02 mm, TAL 83.22 mm, TAL / SVL ratio 1.81. Axilla – groin distance relatively long, AGD 27.15 mm (AGD / SVL 0.59). Head elongated, indistinct from the neck, HL 8.05 mm, HW 5.43 mm, HD 4.39 mm. Snout short, obtuse, rounded anteriorly, SNL 3.14 mm, END 1.66 mm. Ear oval, tympanum recessed, TD 1.16 mm. Eye large, ED 2.79 mm; lower eyelid with an undivided transparent disc (window). Body relatively slender, MBW 7.42 mm (MBW / SVL 0.16), MBD 5.08 mm (MBD / SVL 0.11). Tail base slightly depressed, TaW 5.51 mm (TaW / SVL 0.12), TaD 4.57 mm (TaD / SVL 0.10). Limbs relatively long, toes in contact with fingers when limbs are adpressed, FLL 12.87 mm, HLL 16.72 mm, F 4 L 3.68 mm, T 4 L 6.86 mm, FLL / SVL ratio 0.28, HLL / SVL ratio 0.36, (FLL + HLL) / AGD 1.08. Snout rounded in dorsal and lateral profiles; rostral wider than high, visible from above; mental longer than wide; postmental large and single. Nostril located in the anterior portion of the nasal, nearer to the rostral than to the suture between the supranasal and postnasal; nasal entire. Prefrontals two, in contact with each other medially. Frontal longer than wide, in contact with the frontonasal anteriorly and the frontoparietals posteriorly. Frontoparietals two, in contact medially. Parietals two, in contact behind the interparietal. Interparietal present. Supraoculars four. Supraciliaries six, the anterior two largest. Supralabials seven, the fifth below the center of the eye. Infralabials seven, the first smallest and the third largest. Three pairs of chin shields, the first pair in contact medially. Temporal region with one primary and two secondary enlarged temporals (1 + 2). Four pairs of enlarged nuchals, contacting the parietals anteriorly and larger than the adjacent posterior scales. Tympanum deeply sunken, without lobules; tympanum diameter distinctly smaller than eye diameter. Lower eyelid with a single undivided transparent disc. Dorsal scales smooth, cycloid, and imbricate; dorsal scales on the trunk slightly larger than the lateral and ventral scales. Midbody scale rows 28. Paravertebral scale rows 60. Ventral scale rows 69. Dorsal scale rows between the dark dorsolateral stripes 1 / 2 + 4 + 1 / 2. A pair of dark dorsolateral stripes present on the dorsal surface of the body, each stripe covering four scale rows (SRB = 4); the upper margin of the stripes is wavy. Limbs pentadactyl; dorsal surface of the fourth finger and fourth toe bearing two rows of supradigital scales. Limbs in contact when adpressed against the body. Subdigital lamellae smooth and rounded: 14 enlarged lamellae beneath finger IV and 18 beneath toe IV. Enlarged preanal scales present. Coloration in life. In life (Fig. 3), the dorsal surface of the head is bronze-brown, with irregular dark brown flecks scattered from the head to the tail. A pair of dark dorsolateral stripes extends from the posterior corner of the eye along the sides of the body to the base of the tail; the upper edge of the stripes is distinctly wavy, while the lower edge is relatively straight. The lateral surfaces between the dorsolateral stripes and the venter are lighter brown, with scattered dark flecks. The dorsal surface of the limbs is brown with faint darker markings. The dorsal surface of the tail is bronze-brown, with subtle alternating darker and lighter bands. The ventral surface of the head and body is yellowish-green and immaculate. The ventral surface of the tail is bright yellowish on the anterior one-third, gradually transitioning to whitish cream with scattered dark spots on the posterior portion toward the tip. Coloration in preservative. After fixation in 10 % formalin and storage in 75 % ethanol, the dorsal coloration darkens to a deep brown, and the dorsolateral stripes remain visible but become less sharply demarcated. The pale ventral coloration fades to cream, and the dark ventral spots become less conspicuous. The lateral surfaces assume a more uniform grayish-brown tone. The banding pattern on the dorsal surface of the tail becomes less distinct. Variation. Morphometric and meristic variation among the four type specimens is summarized in Suppl. material 3. All specimens are adult males. SVL ranges from 42.81 to 46.02 mm; the TAL / SVL ratio ranges from 1.13 to 1.81 (the lowest value, 1.13, corresponds to a paratype with a partially regenerated tail). MBSR is constant at 28 across all specimens. PVSR ranges from 52 to 60; VSR ranges from 62 to 69. F 4 S ranges from 12 to 14; T 4 S ranges from 16 to 18. Supraciliaries vary from six to seven; nuchals vary from three to four pairs. Prefrontals, frontoparietals, and parietals are in contact in all specimens. The temporal formula is 1 + 2 on both sides in all specimens. The upper margin of the dorsolateral stripes is wavy in all specimens, and the dorsolateral stripes consistently cover four scale rows. The general color pattern is consistent across the type series, with minor variation in the density and distribution of dark ventral spots. Distribution. Scincella qianbeiensis sp. nov. is currently known from two localities in northern Guizhou Province, China: Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserve, Suiyang County (type locality, 28°13'8"N, 107°9'49"E; 1,510 m a. s. l.), and Dashahe National Nature Reserve, Daozhen County (29°9'4.16"N, 107°35'46.4"E; 1,328 m a. s. l.). Both localities are situated in the mountainous subtropical broadleaf forest region of northern Guizhou. All specimens were collected at elevations ranging from approximately 1,300 to 1,500 m a. s. l. Specimens were found active on the forest floor among leaf litter and in the vicinity of rock crevices during daytime surveys (Fig. 7). The type locality, Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserve, is characterized by well-preserved subtropical evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forest with abundant leaf litter, fallen logs, and rocky substrates, providing suitable microhabitats for ground-dwelling skinks.